DoD Lung Cancer, Career Development Award | W81XWH 22 LCRP CDA

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 22 LCRP CDA

The FY22 Department of Defense Lung Cancer Research Program (LCRP) Career Development Award (CDA) is designed to help early-career investigators launch strong, independent research careers focused on lung cancer. The central goal is career building through a mentored, discovery-oriented research project that can produce meaningful scientific advances while also giving the principal investigator (PI) the support, guidance, and protected research time needed to develop into a leader in the field. The award specifically excludes applications that are only in the area of mesothelioma, so proposals must address lung cancer more broadly (or other eligible lung cancer-related topics) rather than being limited to mesothelioma alone.

This opportunity targets researchers who are still near the start of their independent faculty trajectory. To be eligible as a PI, an applicant must be a research-scientist or physician-scientist within five years of their first faculty appointment (or an equivalent position). In practice, the program is looking for someone who has moved beyond trainee status and is beginning to establish an independent lab or research program, but who would still benefit substantially from structured mentorship and a clear plan to build expertise, publications, and funding momentum in lung cancer research.

A defining feature of the CDA is its formal mentorship requirement. Applicants must identify a Mentor who is an established lung cancer researcher with a strong track record of peer-reviewed funding and publications in lung cancer. Beyond credentials, the Mentor is expected to show a genuine commitment to developing the PI, meaning the relationship is not meant to be symbolic. The mentorship component is intended to provide scientific guidance, career advice, networking support, and practical training that helps the PI mature into an independent investigator with a sustainable program of research.

Career development is treated as a core deliverable, not an afterthought. Each application must include a Career Development Plan developed with input from the Mentor. This plan should spell out exactly how the PI will gain new skills, competencies, and experience that place them at the forefront of lung cancer research. It is not enough to propose a solid study; the application must also explain how the work and training activities will strengthen the PI's long-term career trajectory. Consistent with that emphasis, the PI's institution must commit to providing at least 40 percent protected time for the PI to conduct lung cancer research, and the program notes that more protected time is strongly preferred. This institutional commitment is important because it signals that the PI will have real capacity to carry out the research and complete the professional development activities rather than being pulled primarily into other duties.

The research itself is expected to be impactful and discovery-driven. The program explicitly states that preliminary data are not required, which lowers a common barrier for early-career investigators proposing innovative ideas. At the same time, the application must demonstrate logical reasoning and a strong scientific rationale, meaning the proposed approach should be convincing, well grounded in existing knowledge, and designed in a way that can credibly generate meaningful findings. High-impact projects are emphasized, with the program prioritizing work that could lead to major advancements and accelerate progress toward reducing deaths and suffering from lung cancer.

Another major evaluation theme is relevance to Military Health System beneficiaries. Applicants are expected to clearly explain how their proposed research matters to Service Members, Veterans, and their families. Military health relevance is not a minor add-on; it is considered during programmatic review when assessing alignment with the mission of the Defense Health Program (DHP) and the LCRP. Examples of ways to demonstrate this relevance include using military or Veteran populations, biospecimens, or military/VA data resources; collaborating with Department of Defense or Department of Veterans Affairs investigators; or addressing lung cancer issues that may be especially relevant to military and Veteran communities, including environmental or occupational exposures other than tobacco and factors that affect family readiness.

Administratively, this funding opportunity is offered by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). The opportunity number is W81XWH-22-LCRP-CDA. It is listed as a discretionary opportunity and may be funded through a grant or cooperative agreement mechanism. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any additional limits that may appear in the full announcement. The original posting date was March 16, 2022, with an original closing date of May 17, 2022, and the program anticipated making about three awards. The award ceiling is listed as 0 in the provided source data, which typically indicates that applicants must consult the full announcement for detailed budget limits and cost rules rather than relying on a single fixed maximum shown in the summary.

• The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoD Lung Cancer, Career Development Award" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.420.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 16, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 17, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for W81XWH 22 LCRP CDA

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